CATS & Heart Health

Many of us have lovable cats and playful dogs who we look forward to coming home to every day. They shower us with happiness, unconditional love, a sense of security and friendship. Even though pets can be demanding, the stress relief that they bring to us may be beneficial for our heart health.

New research presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference suggests that heart attack risk may be reduced by having a cat in the house.

Over 4,000 Americans between the ages of 30 and 75 were tracked for over 20 years. All were free of cardiovascular disease when they entered the study in the 1970s. More than half of the people surveyed own or have owned a cat. The remainder had never owned cats. Researchers tracked death rates from heart attack and other causes. The evidence showed that cat owners had 30% lower death rates by heart attack than those who had never owned a cat. No such correlation was made among dog owners.

If you are already a lover of kitties, think about making one of these furry friends a part of your family. Who knows…your heart may be healed in more ways than one!

ALETRIS Center of Integrative Medicine is a Scottsdale, AZ wellness center serving Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Phoenix, Glendale, Arrowhead, Peoria, Sun City, Chandler, Tempe, Ahwatukee, and Mesa, AZ with specialties in naturopathic medicine, natural hormone therapy, women's health, acupuncture, colon hydrotherapy, natural skincare and sugar hair removal.

The contents of this blog, including text, graphics, images and other material, are for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please seek the counsel of an ALETRIS physician or other qualified health provider with any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment.

Lipoprotein A & Cardiovascular Disease

At ALETRIS Center of Integrative Medicine, our goal is to educate patients about preventative medicine. Cardiovascular disease is always a popular topic with our patients simply because the average American is more likely to die of heart disease than any other disease.

Beyond cholesterol, there are many more blood markers that may predict one's risk of heart disease. One less-known risk factor is lipoprotein a. Lipoprotein a, also called Lp-a, is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease and a better predictor than the more well known LDL cholesterol marker.

Lp-a is carried on the LDL molecule and tells us how “sticky” the LDL is. In other words, the higher the Lp-a level, the higher the risk that LDL will be placed in the artery wall and eventually cause blockage. Blocked arteries eventually cause strokes and heart attacks, the top two killers in the US.

The good news is that specific diets as well as supplementation will reduce Lp-a levels in at-risk patients. At ALETRIS Center, we run all cardiovascular risk factors in order to determine our individual patients’ risks. Caught early, a patient’s risk for heart disease can be drastically reduced.

ALETRIS Center of Integrative Medicine is a Scottsdale, AZ wellness center serving Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Phoenix, Glendale, Arrowhead, Peoria, Sun City, Chandler, Tempe, Ahwatukee, and Mesa, AZ with specialties in naturopathic medicine, natural hormone therapy, women's health, acupuncture, colon hydrotherapy, natural skincare and sugar hair removal.

The contents of this blog, including text, graphics, images and other material, are for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please seek the counsel of an ALETRIS physician or other qualified health provider with any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment.

STROKE in Younger Women

Middle aged women are too young to be suffering from strokes!

New research shows an increase of strokes in women between the ages of 35 and 54. In a survey done between the years of 1988 and 1994, 0.5% of women in the above age bracket reported to have suffered a stroke. In a more recent survey, conducted from 1999 to 2004 an astounding 2% of women between 35 and 54 reported to have had a previous stroke.

Two percent may seem like a small number, but remember, we are talking about young and middle aged women. Traditionally it was thought that women’s risk of stroke increases 5-10 years after menopause, so why are we seeing strokes in younger women? The researchers attribute this finding to increased abdominal fat, higher BMI (or body mass index) and higher blood sugar.

It is never too early to assess your cardiovascular and stroke risk factors. Eating a healthy diet consisting of lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, fiber, essential fats and an abundance of vegetables is a great way to reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. Exercising 4 days a week and not smoking are crucial to maintaining the health of your heart and blood vessels.

At Aletris Center of Integrative Medicine, we use progressive lab tests and imaging to assess risk factors associated with current and potential heart disease which may lead to strokes. It is never too late to engage yourself in your own health care and seek the help of a well-trained naturopathic physician.

ALETRIS Center of Integrative Medicine is a Scottsdale, AZ wellness center serving Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Phoenix, Glendale, Arrowhead, Peoria, Sun City, Chandler, Tempe, Ahwatukee, and Mesa, AZ with specialties in naturopathic medicine, natural hormone therapy, women's health, acupuncture, colon hydrotherapy, natural skincare and sugar hair removal.

The contents of this blog, including text, graphics, images and other material, are for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please seek the counsel of an ALETRIS physician or other qualified health provider with any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment.

Inflammation & HEART DISEASE

Inflammation is inflammation is inflammation. Naturopathic physicians have understood this principle for years, yet conventional researchers are just starting to investigate how inflammation in different parts of the body is connected. For example, a Mayo Clinic study published in the February 2005 issue of Arthritis and Rheumatism details the link between rheumatoid arthritis (an inflammatory arthritis) and increased risk of unrecognized heart disease and cardiac sudden death.

Inflammation anywhere in the body will ultimately travel through the blood vessels and damage them. Therefore, we can make the assumption that increases in inflammation anywhere in the body will increase our risk of the number one killer in the US: Heart Disease.

What exactly is inflammation? On a biochemical level, inflammation means the production of free radials, which are unpaired electrons that bounce around and damage any other molecules in their path. In the bloodstream, inflammation nicks the inside walls of blood vessels and causes plaque and calcium build up there. This causes sclerosis, a closing of the arteries, which can ultimately lead to stroke or heart attack.

At ALETRIS Center of Integrative medicine, we evaluate levels of inflammation in each and every patient. Allowing excess inflammation in our patients would ultimately lead to an increased risk of heart disease. Please visit us or give us a call to learn how simple blood tests can help you assess your individual risk for inflammation and heart disease.

ALETRIS Center of Integrative Medicine is a Scottsdale, AZ wellness center serving Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Phoenix, Glendale, Arrowhead, Peoria, Sun City, Chandler, Tempe, Ahwatukee, and Mesa, AZ with specialties in naturopathic medicine, natural hormone therapy, women's health, acupuncture, colon hydrotherapy, natural skincare and sugar hair removal.

The contents of this blog, including text, graphics, images and other material, are for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please seek the counsel of an ALETRIS physician or other qualified health provider with any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment.

Calcium Breaks Hearts

For many years, naturopathic physicians have been explaining to women that osteoporosis is not a condition caused by low calcium intake. In fact, countries that consume high amounts of calcium from dairy (The US, New Zealand, and Australia) have the highest rates of osteoporosis in the world.

A recent study suggests that calcium supplements may increase the risk of heart attack in older women. Researchers at the University of Auckland investigated the risk of heart attack, sudden death, and stroke in 1,471 postmenopausal women aged 55 years or older for a five year period and found an increased risk in those taking calcium versus those taking a placebo.

There are many different mechanisms by which calcium may damage the cardiovascular system. We know that calcium is used to “patch” wounds along blood vessels and that calcified arteries are the hallmark of atherosclerosis. Excess calcium also prevents the absorption of magnesium, an essential nutrient for cardiac muscle function.

Although there are supplements to support bone strength and help prevent osteoporosis in combination with adequate exercise and nutrition, we do not prescribe calcium supplementation to ALETRIS patients.

The contents of this blog, including text, graphics, images and other material, are for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please seek the counsel of an ALETRIS physician or other qualified health provider with any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment.